After more than a year of blog silence, more than two years of residing in Germany, and numerous trips, changes, and developments, ironically perhaps the best place to start after so long a pause is a description of the ordinary.

Our German home sits at the corner of a quiet cul-de-sac in a small rural village just north of the Schwabischer Alb. Lest you picture abundant privacy, we are at the end of a row of townhouses, 8 to be exact. Behind us there is another row of 8 houses, and in front of us, last year were built a duplex and an end unit of another row of about 4 houses. Directly outside our dining area window and across the small street (and our parking place) is a building which has, at least, 4 flats, and attached to that are about 3 more townhouses. Surrounding the immediate area just described, hundreds of homes are nestled snugly in almost every inch of available space right up until the sign at the edge of the road indicating the village limits. There's a reason the Germans are known for their efficiency. One drives past this road sign and about two kilometers of flat, open road stretch out, begging you to punch the gas. On both sides of the road, neatly-kept farm fields follow the rolling hills of the Filder. They too stretch just until the next sign indicating town limits. Just as abruptly, the land is again filled almost to the brim with more houses, one right next to other. Some have small yards, which are used efficiently to grow flowers or produce; others have none at all.

Our home itself is now five years old. It has modern styling with the typical red clay tiled roof. The inside is light, spacious and open. As one swings open the fairly heavy front door, immediately to the left is a small powder room; Germans call it a WC (Water Closet), yet another very typical feature in German homes. A few steps into the hallway will lead you to the treacherous, open stairwell, which winds up and down all four levels of the house. Then to the right, if you don't run into the glass door, upon which we have posted pictures of family and friends, you will enter the kitchen, dining and living area. I have the large room painted a warm yellowish-khaki color, with the living area a slightly darker shade to set the area apart. We have a floor-to-ceiling set of windows and a door which opens to the patio and garden in the back of the house. One level below is a large unfinished storage/laundry room and a finished room which we use for a computer/playroom and extra bedroom if we need it. One level above the main living area are three bedrooms and a spacious bathroom. Yet, one more ascent of the stairwell will bring you to the guest suite. It has warm red carpet and a vaulted ceiling, as well as boasting its own bathroom. However the best feature of the loft is the view of the mountains in the distance.

I have loved this house. I love the roll-ladens, outdoor storm blinds which roll down over the windows to keep out light, wind, cold, or heat respectively. I love the large windows which open like a door or flip open at the top. I love the space. I love my new kitchen, which we got to pick out ourselves when we got here (a whole 'nother story since neither of us knew German at the time and the store owner certainly didn't know English!).

To be fair, there are a few things I haven't liked. One is the window in our bedroom. It is a terribly odd shape. The roof-line slopes downward above our room and the windows follow it. There is a curtain track installed there, but in order for it to work right, you have to have a custom drape made. Well, considering that when we first moved in, if we didn't have any curtain at all we would have been sleeping on stage for every one else in the neighborhood to see. The windows are floor-to-ceiling and there is no roll-laden on that section of windows. So we tacked something up. Then we changed it. Then I ended up with not enough fabric to make the custom curtain....and it went out of stock. Then I said, heck with it. I don't want to cut up my fabric into an odd shape when the next house we move into will have normal windows. Then too much light was coming in the window at night from the street lamp outside. So we tacked up another layer of dark tan curtain behind it. Then the kids like to play behind them and pull sections from the track holding them up. Needless to say it looks quite hideous from the outside, and the inside too. But I'm beyond the point of caring. It works....somewhat.

The other thing that I don't like is just the thing I thought I would love when we moved in: ceramic tile floors. Our whole first floor is completely tiled. They are nice-looking to be sure. However, they are cold in the winter. My back will ache at night from standing on them, and almost nothing stands a chance if it drops on it. Gregory has shattered hard plastic on it before. So, my love affair with ceramic tile floors is over. I won't be installing them in another house, especially in a kitchen/dining area.

This was the first house we looked at when first arriving here in Germany. It has been more than I ever expected and has suited our needs quite well, especially with all the guests!

We have just over 6 months left before its time to pack up again. I need to write down so much that has happened within these walls, while I can remember. After all, walls don't talk.